Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

A landmark narrative of an epic legal battle, Civil Warriors is the gripping behind-the-scenes account of how one tenacious lawyer led the charge against the titans of the tobacco industry.

Drawing on five years of eyewitness reporting, thousands of pages of internal documents, and riveting firsthand stories of plaintiffs, lawyers, jurors, and scientists, Civil Warriors weaves the compelling story of attorney Ron Motley, who, along with other die-hard lawyers, scientists, and tobacco-busters, fought tirelessly to bring the tobacco industry to justice.

Taking us onto the front lines of Motleys crusade, investigative journalist Dan Zegart follows the attorney to a dangerous underworld where maverick scientists and corporate whistle-blowers step from the shadows to reveal the truth behind the industry “spin.”

We meet the unforgettable cast of characters that draw Motley on toward his goals ... the mysterious ex-Reynolds employee known as “Deep Cough,” who told where evidence on nicotine-laced tobacco was hidden ... the researchers who proved the addictive nature of nicotine — and were advised by the FBI to check their cars for bombs every morning.

And we witness how Ron Motley led his quest for truth, justice, and hundred-billion-dollar awards ... to penetrate, finally, the “control room of the conspiracy,” an inner circle of lawyers who protected tobacco for thirty years. Civil Warriors is at once a grand adventure and a towering work of investigative journalism — an eye-opening report on the way justice really works in America today.

Synopsis

Expanding on his attention-getting pieces in The Nation, author Dan Zegart paints a compelling portrait of just what it took to get the unprecedented judgment against Big Tobacco -- a ruling that remains one of the most controversial in the history of the U.S. court system. "Civil Warriors" introduces readers to the tenacious, charismatic Ron Motley, one of the most successful civil trial lawyers in the country and the man who launched a five-year legal crusade against the corporations that run the tobacco industry.

Here is a true-life legal thriller, capturing all the drama of a high-stakes class-action suit: the million-dollar legal defense waged by tobacco companies, the scientists and journalists who feared for their careers, and the whistle-blowers who feared for their lives. It is an unforgettable account that any fan of legal thrillers -- both fiction and nonfiction -- will be unable to put down.

About the Author

Dan Zegart is a seasoned journalist whose articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the country, including Ms., Penthouse, and The Nation. He lives with his wife, Laura, in Titusville, New Jersey.